Here’s what some FWISD teachers say about the decision to keep students home in Tarrant
Many teachers, parents and community members applauded Tarrant County’s decision to keep students home because of the coronavirus during a Fort Worth school board meeting Tuesday night. But some still had questions about the district’s plan for the school year.
The Tarrant County health department announced Tuesday afternoon that all schools will provide solely online classes for the first six weeks of the 2020-21 school year — until at least Sept. 28 — because of rising cases of coronavirus. The Fort Worth school district sent out a press release shortly after the announcement about virtual learning.
Eight people who spoke on Tuesday evening identified themselves as FWISD teachers. All of them said they supported the decision to postpone in-person classes.
Ernesto Moran, a fourth-grade teacher in Fort Worth, said he was thankful to the Tarrant County health department for “doing its job and following the science in its announcement today.”
“As Sept 28 approaches, if we have not flattened the curve in Tarrant County, I hope the health department and school board have the courage to once again do their jobs and follow the science,” he said.
Fifth-grade teacher Michael Mangrum said he was worried about what will happen when the six weeks of online learning are up. He referenced the number of ventilators currently available in Tarrant County hospitals — 395 — and said he thinks that number will dwindle if 84,000 students return to school.
Larrnecia Razavi, another FWISD teacher, said schools should not reopen in the fall for in-person classes, and learning should remain exclusively online until a vaccine for coronavirus is available. She said teachers are “the most resourceful, creative and innovative people on earth” and can effectively teach online with the support of the district.
Some teachers, including FWISD teacher Jordan Douglass, asked questions about the district’s 23-page preliminary plan for the 2020-2021 school year, which was released Monday.
Douglass, who teaches at Arlington Heights High School, asked the board about how coronavirus-related sick days, classroom supplies and class sizes would work when students eventually return to school.
“I think ultimately, there are still a lot of questions the district has to answer before teachers feel safe going back,” he said.
Orion Smith, a teacher and parent of a FWISD 4-year-old, asked the board to consider letting teachers work from home. According to the district’s plan for the 2020 fall semester, teachers would work from inside empty classrooms, even when teaching online classes.
Smith said remote teaching from home would be safer and allow parents to care for their children.
“It will make a series of impossible choices less impossible,” he said.
Irma Parga, who said she has worked in a FWISD school cafeteria for 21 years, spoke to the board through an interpreter. She said while she loves her job and the students, she is not comfortable going back to work yet because of her health problems.
“Thank you for treating us like part of the community and thank you for keeping us healthy,” she said. “Thank you for fighting for our lives.”
Other FWISD board actions
On Tuesday, the Fort Worth ISD board also approved the purchase of hotspot connections so students can learn remotely. The hotspots allow students to access the internet.
The board will buy an unlimited 4GLTE Mobile Plan and CIPA filtering for $2.4 million.
At the end of the meeting, board trustees encouraged people to attend virtual town hall meetings next week. The meetings will be on July 27 and July 28, and allow the community to ask district leaders about plans for the fall semester. Each event will be from 5 to 7 p.m. and will be on the FWISD Facebook page. The July 27 meeting will be in Spanish and is also available at www.fwisd.org/27julio, and the July 28 meeting will be in English and can be found at www.fwisd.org/July28.
“We pledge to you that we seek and want your feedback,” trustee Norman Robbins said. “We are pledged to make the very best of what we have to offer you and your students.”
“I hope you’re able to show up to the virtual townhall and speak your truth,” Jacinto A. Ramos, Jr., president of the board, said.
Trustee Anael Luebanos thanked Superintendent Kent Scribner, Ramos and his fellow officials for their work over the past few months.
“There’s no summer for you guys, so I want to thank you for everything you’re doing,” Luebanos said.
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 7:58 PM.
